6 – Happily Ever After?
"…she retained all the claims to reputation which her marriage had given her."(1)
--
All thoughts of the gentle reader now turn to the future life of the heroine of this story. More specifically, whether or not she found the fulfilment she desired by being the first of her sisters to marry, and whether or not she became rich too. As one might expect, an engagement, courtship and marriage entered into with such unbecoming haste often does end in domestic infelicity.
The servant paid for by Mr Darcy was doubtless a spy for him. It had been Mr Darcy's intent to use the servant for information about their behaviour. Living under such scrutiny became unbearable and the maid was sent packing back to Pemberley.
A brief period of trying to keep her own household was too much for Lydia. The discovery of rats invading the pantry - most likely from her neglect of kitchen chores - only enforced her distaste. It was quickly decided that their needs would be best met by residence in a boarding house.
The newly-wed couple found this situation most enjoyable. Wickham was very fond of the regularity of meals and clean linens. Lydia was content that she had no responsibility to the household other than lively and charming discourse in the parlour. She filled her days with reading horrid novels and trimming bonnets.
But all good things must come to an end and the loose accounting practised by the Wickhams eventually led to their being unable to pay for their accommodations. Sadly, this all happened within the brief span of Lizzy and Darcy's engagement and newlywed period. Wickham resigned himself to the knowledge that the entirety of his character was likely now revealed to Elizabeth and most likely, Mr Bennet and the rest of the family. Given the nature of the dealings with Mr Darcy, he was loath to directly apply to any family members for support and therefore they sought out quarters amongst the married soldiers.
Lydia however had no such compunction; after her prior attempt at housekeeping she was determined to leave the coprophilous barracks as soon as possible. She thought nothing of applying to her now rich sisters for a smidgeon of the balm of sisterly compassion. Though she dare not directly reveal the situation to the Darcy family, she could hint and so set her thoughts to paper.
My dear Lizzy,
I wish you joy. If you love Mr Darcy half as well as I do my dear Wickham, you must be very happy. It is a great comfort to have you so rich, and when you have nothing else to do, I hope you will think of us. I am sure Wickham would like a place at court very much, and I do not think we shall have quite money enough to live upon without some help. Any place would do, of about three or four hundred a year; but however, do not speak to Mr Darcy about it, if you had rather not.
Yours, etc. (Ch 61)
A congratulatory letter of similar effect was also sent to Mrs Bingley. What help then did flow in! Following her mother's example, Lydia managed to spend every extra farthing and pence on lace or frivolous finery.
--
Mrs Bennet had feared the hardship of Lydia's life resultant upon her banishment to Newcastle. How they lived day-to-day mattered little because wherever Mr and Mrs Wickham went, their happy manners would allow them to form new friendships easily. Although they were not equally capable of retaining them, there would always be someone new to meet. They constantly moved about in search of lodgings suited to their circumstances and always managed to exceed their quarterly income but precede their reputation.
Lydia suffered very little under these circumstances and her character remained much as it ever was. The variety of people and shops easily kept her amused. The town's assembly rooms were the grandest thing Lydia had ever seen and she delighted in attending the balls not only for the dancing, but also for the opportunity to admire the chandelier system and its ten thousand pieces of cut crystal.(4) Meryton was nothing compared to Newcastle!
Mr Wickham, finding himself married to and in constant companionship of a girl ten years his junior, soon sunk into indifference bordering on depression. This was not the rich, foreign heiress of his hopes and dreams. His sole consolations were the camaraderie among the officers and the respect and esteem of the citizenry afforded by his rank and pleasing conversation. Hope for the future rested in his plans to take the £ 5000 from Darcy and desert his wife under the guise of being posted to India, Nova Scotia or the Bahamas – wherever his fancy would take him.
Acquitting himself well during regional bread riots, and with just a little further assistance from Darcy, Wickham advanced a level in rank. His old habits were difficult to overcome though and he often sought out gaming tables, races, and other opportunities to gain a quick sum. The circumstances of his marriage, living conditions and finances began to have a negative impact on his health. Consulting with the local apothecary, a course of treatment was decided upon which included trips to Bath for the waters, a diet of soft food and visits to a London dentist as a last resort.
Lydia was quick to console her husband in his misery by keeping generous amounts of liquor available and writing home for Mrs Hill's receipts for boiled potatoes and their kin. She had no cause to repine his trips to Bath as she then took the opportunity to visit her rich sisters. Together they took advantage of all that the Bingleys and Darcys offered, often overstaying their welcome.
The painful toothache became more than one soldier could bear and another trip to a London dentist was arranged. Being low on funds, Mr Wickham was persuaded to allow a young apprentice named Brecht to remove the offending tooth. Unfortunate complications of the abscess set in and the patient did not survive. (5)
--
Fortunate for Mrs Wickham were her family connections. With the help of her father and the Bingleys she was able to pay off a very few pressing obligations. It is not the objective of this story to explain how the couple remained childless during their marriage of four and one-half years, but they did. And so Lydia, hindered by neither conscience nor egregious misdeeds, approached Mr Darcy upon the fifth anniversary of the infamous elopement. He acknowledged that she had upheld her part of the marriage agreement but refused to turn over a lump sum to such a spendthrift. Instead, the five thousand pounds was set up in an annuity to provide a regular income, sufficient but not overly generous.
Thus at only one and twenty years of age, the Widow Wickham looked forward to a future rich with the possibility of adventure.
The End.
Notes:
1) There are some lines of text original to Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and the characters are her creation. This story fits the relevant bits of the text into a 'behind-the-scenes' version of Lydia's elopement. You might also notice some inspiration from Northanger Abbey and various P&P movie adaptations.
2) In chapter 4.
3) In chapter 5.
4) Newcastle Assembly Rooms www. assemblyrooms. co. uk/pr01. htm# (remove spaces)
5) Wickham's death was inspired by Buddenbrooks written by Thomas Mann.
Many thanks to my beta readers – Kurt, tJean, Linnea, and MaryAnne.
Thank you for suspending your belief that Wickham seduces Lydia and reading this story. Your comment would be appreciated!